Looking at the rapidly-growing pile of CD's on my dresser waiting for some review attention, it's jarring just how many are from women singer-songwriters or female-fronted bands. I got the new Sheryl Crow, the new Hole, the new Liz Phair and the new Marilyn Manson...wait, what's his/her schtick this month? Who can keep track anymore?

At any rate, it's clear that the record industry wolves are howling at the prospect of another manufactured pop genre to exploit past all sensible limits: women rockers. If there's bread to be collected from women in rock, then everyone wants a piece of the pie. (Pun absolutely unintended.)

It might be easy to write off the emergence of Ultrababyfat as just some well-timed bandwagon jumping. After all, the core of the Atlanta-based quartet is made up of two singing and songwriting women, Michelle Dubois and Shonali Bhowmik. The packaging of their new CD features lots of pinks and stars and moons. And the album's title, Silver Tones Smile? Totally girlie.

But this is one of those "girl bands" who you might want to favor with a bit of your precious attention. Ultrababyfat has mastered a tasty mix of the feminine and the feral, combining sweet harmonies with the edgy crunch of their electric guitars. They're the bastard child of the Ronettes and the Troggs, part "Be My Baby" and part "Wild Thing."

The album's finest moments keep it simple, stupid, latching onto a chord progression and banging it out for a couple solid minutes. The album's first single, "Twist," opens the record with an irresistible hook, jangling forward into a chorus that soars up and down like a melodic roller coaster ride. That tune segues directly into the more driving impact of "Bent On." And so it goes.

Throughout the record, when Ultrababyfat gets to the point and gets there quick, the result is a no-nonsense, low-maintenance pop bombardment. In other words, when the tunes clock in at under 4:30, it's pure rock fun. "TCBA" boasts a "doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" nonsense opening chorus that leaves your head bopping for more. "Jonesin'" is built around a chanted chorus and a slammin' funk beat, complete with full-on whammy guitar. Vocally, the ladies of Ultrababyfat toss in plenty of swagger and sneer to counter the natural sweetness of their voices. When they sing "I like a man who is bent on self-destruction" in "Bent On," you're not sure if it'll be the guy doing the destroying, or the singers themselves.

The one massive weakness of Smile is the longer songs, like "Water" and "Peacock Throne," which can drag interminably if you let them. The sound is also a bit too consistent across the record; an acoustic number or a madly-fast full-out rockfest would have broken up the slight monotony of the album's middle section. These flaws makes it difficult to maintain a listening focus throughout Smile. But by the record's end, the tighter pop sounds return, and it's all good clean rock.

If you want, you can write off Ultrababyfat. But you'd be a lot happier if you just picked up their record and grooved to their silky sound. They're living proof that you don't need to latch onto a pop music fad to sell great pop music.